We have visited Washington, DC several times. The city is so rich with tradition, architecture, and collections centered on the museums that each visit is special and full of new things to see.
2022 7/3 Dinner with Shirley and Rob at Cedars of Lebanon: A lovely Greek restaurant in Greenbelt, Md. Greenbelt was built after World War II to accommodate returning soldiers. It has winding streets, smaller homes, and a small shopping center with a neighborhood Greek restaurant.
We met Shirley and Rob who are working near D.C. as traveling nurses. They help staff a local hospital’s emergency services.
At dinner, Joan found a mixed salad platter while Shirley, Rob and I split a sampler platter for three. Wonderful sample. So good, we didn’t take any photographs.
2022 7/4 Fireworks in the City: Joan and I braved downtown D.C. on July 4th to find a different, and sort of scary, Capital area that is significantly changed from our previous visits. The entire Mall was fenced, guarded, and protected by police screening. Bags were checked and lines formed to get into the most desirable fireworks viewing area.
We parked in a fenced and gated prepaid parking area with a gate that came down sharply on Stu’s head, starting the visit with a BANG. We believe the gate was intended to convince honest folks the lot was protected. Being smashed in the head suddenly convinced me once I recovered.
Lunch on the Georgetown Waterfront at Tony & Joe’s Seafood Restaurant directly on the Potomac . We arrived hungry and were expecting an overpriced tourist lunch in a crowded enclosed area. Instead, we were seated at a widely separated waterfront table just inside the low border from the waterfront promenade.
Lunch improved even further from a surprisingly excellent view. Our drinks immediately arrived, our order was promptly taken and my Crab Cake platter was among the best I’ve ever tasted. Lightly brown and seasoned, it was nearly all crab. Wow, what a surprise. Joan’s salmon was perfectly grilled, also lightly seasoned and served with a fresh salad. Nice lunch. We hope to return there someday on our boat.
We went to an area near the Kennedy Center and Joan captured the spectacular pre-fireworks view of the Washington Monument and US Peace Center, the page banner above. As Washington DC has aged, the planners have successfully combined classical beauty with modern architecture. L’Enfant would be pleased with how his design for DC has evolved.
After the fireworks, we had a nice walk back to the parked car and an easy trip home with surprisingly light traffic.
2022 7/5: One of Stu’s favorite parts of DC is Adams Morgan, a trendy old neighborhood that once had large number of ethnic restaurants. They have largely moved to nicer parts of the city with more parking. Adams Morgan is in need of revitalizing.
We tried Zeneback, one of the remaining Ethiopian places. We were disappointed. Turns out, Zenebech had changed hands, changed cooks and changed into a place serving salty food with excessive spice and little real taste. Oh well, we learned again never to go back to memories expecting the best to remain.
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